a blog about perfume

The damage so far: fourth quarter 2012 buying poll

Time for another damage poll — confess your sins for 2012 so you can start 2013 with a clean slate! Donatella Versace, Our Lady of Scented Overindulgence,1 wants to know what you bought in the 4th quarter (October, November and December) of 2012.

That brings my quarterly expenditure to $148, and my yearly expenditure for 2012 to $350. It's more than I've spent the last couple years (2011: $315; 2010: $180) but better than I did in 2009 ($465).

As always, report your purchases in the comments if you dare! And as always, we don't include samples or gifts, and you can count miniatures, decants and bottle-splits howsoever you like (I usually count them as half bottles). Samples don't generally count at all, even though some of us spend considerable sums obtaining them.

1. Why does Donatella host (against her will, mind you) the damage polls? There is no real reason other than the picture of her perfume collection, which shows that she indulges regularly at the perfume counter. The image, by the way, is originally from Allure magazine and appears here courtesy of Blogdorf Goodman.

I tried so hard to be good this year and I actually managed right up till the beginning of December when I’m afraid I went a little bit nuts — I actually bought a BIG bottle of TDC’s Bois d’Iris (which is a huge splurge); Trish McEvoy’s Black Rose Oud, Bottega Veneta, and Serge Lutens Fleurs de Citronnier. I am now very chastened and I’m trying to avoid the perfume sites, but I already have my beady little eyes focused on my next Serge creation: probably Vitriol d’Oeillet. And I am waiting for Houbigant Fleurs d’Oranger to arrive at the e-tailers so (hopefully) I can save a few pennies. It is still very expensive, but oh so pretty.

Because I am pregnant, and for the last 5 months have had the nose of a perfume sensitive blood hound, I`ve just bought one. And I couldn`t wear it for long, even though I know I`m going to really enjoy it later. It was Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic. Reading about perfume and looking at my precious bottles is enough for me, and my VISA card probably loves me for it.

awww …first: congrats on the little tiny perfumista coming in April
Second — the smell of EVERYTHING made me as sick as a dog for the entire time so even the one bottle seems lovely to me!
Before long you will be back to sniffing and wearing perfume and being a mom and life is good!

I’m going throug the exact same thing! I’ve been moderate in my purchases (a sale bottle of Lolita Lempicka and Shalimar EDT), but received bottles of Coromandel and Ambre Sultan for Christmas. I’m only two months pregnant, but both (which smelled wonderful to me in early November) are now weirdly distasteful to my pregnant nose.

Such an exciting time! I remember, during my second pregnancy, I couldn’t tolerate a thing, til the beginning of my second trimester. I wanted nothing but citrus scents then. All of a sudden, I was then searching for the perfect Nivea scent, and I found it, in Sinfonia di Note’s Blanc des Cotons. Weird hormones, eh? Happy Labour Day!

I treated myself to a bottle of Dior Dune for Christmas (which I have loved ever since I tested it), and that was going to be it. Then I ended up finding L’Artisan Tea for Two on ebay, unsprayed 100 ml bottle for about $90. I probably wouldn’t have bought it, except I really like the sample I have, and I know since it’s discontinued now it will only get harder to find.

Very happily own both of those! I did the same with Dune when I sniffed it this summer–got a sample and ran through it in a week and quickly went in search of a bottle. Very happy to have it for the rotation! And enjoy the Tea for Two! I love tea scents, and it is a distinct one.

Very jealous of both of those Chanel purchases. I wouldn’t ordinarily think of buying fancy body cream but, I really do like that one… and if I want to wear the Gardenia anyway, it does seem like the logical extension

Except for Kyoto, Musc Tonkin, and Séville à l’Aube, everything was gotten with at least 20% off…. sometimes even better (the Serge was only about $80). I was told I got the last bottle of Séville à l’Aube from the Chicago Barneys. You can still get it online, though.

I had a raspberry hand creme in my pre-perfumista life, and while I don’t generally go for fruity, I completely loved it. Somehow the tartness seemed to cut what otherwise can be the too sweet of fruit notes, it seems. And it smelled like raspberries, not “raspberry,” (which is how I feel about, say, strawberry).

I wore Un Bois Vanille on Wednesday (start the year as you mean to continue) and a co-worker told me I smelled beautiful. He likes Douce Amère too, so I’ll have to tell him about the Parfum1 occasional discounts on SL.

I went to Europe in December. It’s easy to do a lot of damage in London (Liberty, L’Artisan in Covent Garden) and Paris (Printemps, Galleries Lafayette, Serge boutique at Palais Royale). The full bottle damage:

I like it. The pendant is well-made,nicely finished, and a good size, about 1″ in diameter, and makes a nice piece of jewelry in its own right. It comes with a nice silver chain, and it has a very large bail so you can easily switch to a different chain if you wish. Perfume placed on a bead in the pendant seems to diffuse more slowly than on skin, so you get a less intense scent, but longer lasting. I have perfume eating skin, so anything that can extend the life of my scent is good for those times I can’t or don’t wish to reapply every few hours. The pendant seems to be available only as part of the set. It would be nice if it could be bought separately.

The scent, IMO, it is not complex enough to really be thought of as a fine perfume. It smells like an aromatherapy essential oil mix, I am a fan of aromatherapy, so this is not really a criticism. There are times when I just don’t want a complex or challenging perfume, just something that smells good. I have worn it when I was feeling tense of stressed, and it seems to help. It makes a nice bedtime scent as well, although I only use the perfume silk at bedtime; I don’t go to be wearing a large pendant (!) Because it uses a removable bead to hold the scent, you can easily use it with any perfume you wish, and you can buy extra beads as well. The necklace will retain traces of the scent for some time, but alcohol or soap and hot water seem to do a good job of removing old scent when you want to change. The packaging, BTW, is exquisite, and the set would make a wonderful gift.

Nothing for me this quarter. I placed an order with OJ but it didn’t work out. I did buy a Diptyque Christmas candle at 20% off and a set of Olfactive Studio samples but, supposedly, these don’t count *phew*

It means that my total for the year is unchanged from last quarter. Namely, I got Tubéreuse Criminelle (50ml), Amouage Dia (50ml) Chanel Sycomore (75 ml) OJ Tiare (4x10ml travel sprays) Diorella (30ml) for a total of £151. An excellent year, imo, I’m very pleased with my acquisitions.

Re the Chypre: the 80s version – which is so often what you get when you see “vintage Chypre” on ebay – is nice, in a vintage Miss Dior parfum sort of way, very powdery and ladylike. I am probably going to divest myself of it and pass it on to a friend who enjoys it. The vintage (I swooooooned over that pristine vintage parfum sample i snagged from StC) is, unfortunately, faint.

1)Cartier L’Heure Convoitee,2) Soivohle Honeysuckle Bird, 3&4) Ineke Sweet William AND After My Own Heart (bought at wonderful clearance prices on New Years Eve–so much for restraint). Grand Total about $370. Not willing to traumatize myself and add up everything for the year….

I was bad. I was very bad. But this isn’t really news after all these years, is it? Most of my purchases were all or part for splits. I host a lot….too much according to the CEO. We won’t go into upsetting details like cost…..

yessssss….and I love it. It’s a soft, elegant, powdery jasmine/floral composition. I get whiffs of 31RC and soft iris….almost like the love child of 31 Rue Cambon and 28 La Pausa. I think it is supposed to be limited edition but I haven’t seen any information on it and I keep checking the website in hopes it’ll show up ….and that it’ll be part of the regular LE line.

These limited distributions drive me nuts! I was just in NM yesterday, and went by the Les Exclusives counter to try out a few more that I hadn’t sniffed yet, and I did not see hide nor hair of such a thing. They had everything else!

And it seems that they are even more limited in distribution than they used to be. They had LE at our big Nordies downtown a few years ago, but they no longer have them. Our Lady doesn’t carry any Chanels at all–Pam said that Chanel charges them the same, whether it’s a big departments store or a boutique and it just wasn’t worth it.

Makes me sad, because I *really* want to explore them more, but they’re making it *work,* which I refuse to let my perfume hobby become!

31RC and La Pausa were my favourites and so a new lemming is born. Shame on you for such an enticing description; I’d blame you for leading me into sin if I wasn’t so good at getting there myself!
A wonderful list, and, given the way you do perfume its more a public service than an indulgence:)

I may have left out a few vintage bottles of Caron Narcisse Noir, a vintage propeller bottle of Vol de Nuit and a bottle of Lubin Idole edp…but you know how bad my memory can be…..especially during the damage poll.

Yes, it is perfume but not (1925) vintage. Although as far as I’m concerned, it might as well be since it is so well-made, and comparatively affordable. I fell in love with the edp in 2000 but couldn’t resist getting the perfume. I believe it’s discontinued due to the oak moss and clove. It makes a great alternative to Sisley’s Eau du Soir at roughly half the price.

You know, I don’t think I bought any this quarter! Well, I did get a few decants that immediately went on my FB list: L’Heure dNuit is on top along with Cuir beluga, Amouage Dia Extrait, opardu, oriental Brulant and a few others. I also bought a FB of Azemour, the result of a sample obtained in the NST swap, but I can’t remember if that was last quarter or not.

I did, however, buy 3 diptyque candles ( the med.large size) which sort of counts since its from a perfumer.

Total spent for decants and candles is about $350. Yikes. I didn’t include 3 bottles from the after Xmas L’Artisan sale…next quarter,

2 were: I purchased Amber from the reg line, and amber Oud (red) and the winter pine (green) from the holiday line. All fantastic! I also ordered a few $8 sale candles from L’Artisan that are still in transit somewhere.

Zero, goose egg, zip, nada! The first quarter since I began participating in these polls that I haven’t spent money. I’m proud of myself, and also proud that I’m proud rather than depressed for not buying!

You know I’ll cave if you split that new Roja Dove! And the two new naturals that Laurie is coming out with are gorgeous so I’ll have to have those as well. Never fear, this is an anomaly, not a pattern!

I should probably see if there is any news about Fetish….and of course you know I’m splitting that Vagabond Prince Enchanted Forest as soon as it’s available.

OperaFansays:

3 January 2013 at 10:33 pm

Whew! (Breathes a sigh of relief)
Thought you’ve been working waaaaaay overtime there.

bookwyrmsmithsays:

4 January 2013 at 1:07 am

Hey Daisy -I want in on that Enchanted Forest split !!!! That stuff is reeeeaaalllyy nice . I got a promotional drawing sample and I like it. Maybe not $185 for 100 ml worth – but a split ! Count me in! Pleeeeaase????
bookwyrmsmith at live dot com

Merlinsays:

3 January 2013 at 3:19 pm

I guess being proud rather than depressed is the key! I’m working on that one…

Oh dear, I was much worse than I remember being. I bought
Esprit d’Oscar
Bal a Versailles
Rochas Femme
Ineke Field Notes from Paris
Chanel Coco
Dior Poison
L’Artisan Seville a l’Aube
Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles
and the Fragrance sampler from Sephora which I will use the coupon from to get a bottle of Prada Candy. The sampler was cheaper than the bottle plus I had a discount coupon.
I think I may be forgetting one but that’s bad enough for now although I did get most of these at a discount.

I’m sad that I was too crazed at work to report on the third quarter, as 2012 was my first year of serious interest in perfume and it would have been fun to share my various finds . At any rate, here is how the the fourth quarter shook out for me . . . not terribly upscale/niche-y, but that’s okay.

I found the three Tokyo Milk sets on clearance in a museum store for almost half the regular price! I haven’t worn them yet, but I’m excited to try or gift them.

I was also gifted Hermes Voyage d’Hermes (mildly disappointing; it smelled like heaven on me when I was on vacation in Puerto Rico, but it looks like I’ll have to wait for summer weather to really enjoy it again) and, perhaps most excitingly, a collection of vintage perfume that my boyfriend found for me at an estate sale. Mostly old Estee Lauder fragrances of questionable quality, but there is a completely full miniature vintage Dioressence that is amazing!

Like Lisa I am pregnant, only my pregnancy is at its very end and my nose is back. And I starved for perfume. I have not bought any during 6 or 7 months, but these last two were mad. I bought 10 bottles, the only excuse I have is that almost all of them looked like a bargain and were from eBay and I wanted to have them forever. So here it goes:
Eau d’Hadrien by Goutal
Frangipani by OJ
Vintage Private Collection 7ml by Estée Lauder
Sous le Vent current version by Guerlain
No 5 Eau Premiere
Dioressence from 1969 edition tiny amount, but soo nice
vintage Cabichard Gres
Bronze Goddess by Estée Lauder
Tuberouse de Nuit by L’Artisan
La Myrrhe by Serge Lutens
Actually now, when I look at it like this, I have no excuses, I have to burn my credit card, I see no other option really….

Don’t do anything drastic. You were just making up for lost time really. You got some great stuff too. Plus you’ll be home with a little one soon enough (congrats!) and won’t have the time or energy to perfume shop, right? So all your purchases are easily justified. It’s like you rewarded yourself with a bottle for each month of your pregnancy and allowed yourself a bonus bottle. Makes sense to me.

I can provide testimonial on Poodle’s sage advice. After my son was born, shopping became such a luxury activity that I barely have time for it nowadays, and it’s been 6+ years. Enjoy your fab haul. Sous LS Vent at a bargain? Thud!

October:
-A tiny bottle of Tommy Girl I found at TJ Maxx for $6. I saw the 5 star review in The Guide and had to remind myself why I disagreed. Blech.
-Le Labo for Anthropologie Orange Descrete – Clearance for $14.99, thick, musty citrus in a fun bottle. My husband and I “share” it.

November:
-Breath of God from Lush – $16 for a fragrance I love and can only wear when my husband is away at a conference. It inspires the worst comments from people (melon, mint, and burning rubber – what’s not to love!?!)

December:
-My Christmas gift to myself was MFK Lumiere Noire pour Femme, $125. For me, it’s a summer evening scent, so doesn’t feel quite right to wear it now, but I’m obsessed with it.
Total: $162, perhaps my worst quarter to date, but I’m very cheap, so should serve as no yardstick. (and Santa was very generous with frags at Christmas!)

I spend 55 euro on a Prada Infusion boxed set: 100 ml EDT and 100 ml Aftershave balm. Now that is what I call a bargain (-: Furthermore 93 euro for a big bottle (125 ml) of Antidote by Viktor and Rolf. I would loved to buy more bottles cause sadly Antidote is discontinued )-: but my desires are bigger than my wallet… And for Christmas I bought myself Dior 50 ml Eau Sauvage Parfum for euro 53. I wasn´t really sure if I liked ESP when it first came out a few months ago because it is so different from the original Eau Sauvage, but turns out that I love it. It has got that same ¨dirty darkness¨ that Prada Amber Intense has…

So this last quarter I spend euro 203, and for 2012 a total of euro 678.

Four bottles for me, although all for steep discounts on the auction site–About $30 each for Jo Malone Wild Fig & Cassis 30ml, Versace Versense 100ml, Burberry Brit Women’s Summer 2012 100ml, and Chloe Intense 50ml. Still sniffing around (ha meant that metaphorically but, also literally!) what I might wear regularly enough to justify a more substantial purchase. Suspect that in upcoming quarter I may break open piggy bank for some Le Labo Rose 31…although, this quarter does include my birthday, so maybe I’ll get some in a fashion exempt from damage poll accounting!

Father: What did you do my son?
Me: To honor You I have bought so many perfumes in December.
Father: What did you buy then my son to honor Me properly?
Me: Well Father here it comes:

Full bottles:
Coco by Chanel
No.19 by Chanel
Fracas en Oudh by Robert Piguet
Tubereuse Criminelle by The Master Serge Lutens
Labdanum and Iris by Le Labo
Fahrenheit by Christian Dior
Youth Dew and Cinnabar by Estee Lauder
Jicky L’Heure Blue and Mitsouko by Guerlain

Father: That is a lot of perfume in my honor son. But remember this, your collection is now big so each purchased perfume will last very long time. So do not worry young Fatih, I am very pleased that you did that for Me.

Me: Thanks Father for your wisdom. I am very pleased that you forgive me

Did you not hear about it Young Master Merlin? It is called the Religion of the Scented People. Our Father has just ONE RULE: Thou shall use, nurture, love, have so many perfumes to Honor Me properly. That is it. So simple for the followers on this lovely, enjoyable and educational site.

Thanks Robin :D. You know since February 2012 I didnt buy any bottle of perfume, but my body could not resist anymore. So like an addict (to perfume) I purchased the best in my opinion. Fracas, Jicky and Tubereuse Criminille is now my own holy trinity.

The third quarter was high because that’s when I bought a FB of Seville a l’Aube.

I spent less on perfume this year in part because of swapping a lot. I averaged $50 a month on perfume and that seems reasonable. (Maybe I should figure in atomizers and postage costs LOL.)

It’s nice to have this opportunity to reflect. After four full years, I see what kind of collection I am building. It’s easier to make decisions and to collect deliberately. I understand what notes I like and which ones I don’t, so it’s easier to figure out what I need to sample. However, as a true perfumista, I love being surprised by something new, especially something that I expected not to like!

Robin is my scent twin. Knowing that has saved me a lot of time and money this year. Thanks Robin

I’m in this phase to, stepping back to assess instead of gobbling samples at my previous rate. I now have day fragrances and evening fragrances for each season, as well as day-to-day office scents and “power scents” for work (I skew toward sexy florientals and don’t feel comfortable wearing them to work, hence a whole other category of “office appropriates”). My fragrance wardrobe actually feels kind of…complete (but I reserve the right to change my mind in 2 weeks!)

I like Rose Anonyme very much when I’m in the mood for a sultry frag! Sanguine Orange though, might be my favourite – its just so uplifting.

I thought I would love Ambre Narguile as I love the scent of cherry tobacco being smoked (by others) out of a water pipe. But on me it smells too much like apple pie. Just too sweet and gourmand…

And, I was surprised to like Spiritueuse Vanille as much as I do. I am not a big fan of Havane Vanille (at least not on me – its too dense.) But SV seems to have a smoky dryness that balances the sweetness very nicely.

8 1/2 bottles, though to be fair, 4 of them were Xmas and birthday gifts from my husband, but I was the one who actually made the purchases.

Back to Black travel spray (Xmas)
Frankincense, Myrrh Rose Maroc (Xmas)
Juicy Couture La La ( Can’t help it, I love their campy bottles) (Xmas)
Large decant of Fille D’ Eve (Bday)
Lady GaGa Fame (bought it for the bottle, but it smells pretty good on my skin)
Yatagan
Bvlgari Rose Essentielle in the small charm bottle, which I love. Am thinking about getting a few more of these in the original scent and one of the jasmines.

Picked up two of the Harajuku Lovers a TJMaxx for 10 dollars.

Let’s call it $500 altogether, but really only a bit over $100 if I subtract the ones that were presents. So not too awful bad.

I. too, had some awesome swap partners, so I feel as though I spent much more.

You spent your January perfume money already? Wow! What did you buy?
Ahh, don’t tell me, I’m tempted by that limited Jo Malone collection too but JM is not available in Poland so maybe I will have to say “bye bye” to them…

I was bad- again! I bought five FB:
Santa Maria Novella Eva (excuse:I was in Florence and the bottle had my name on it!)
Amouage Epic Woman
Guerlain Shalimar Ode a la Vanille 2012
Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile EdP
Hermes Ambre de Merveille
I’ve used all of them a lot though and think they’re all gorgeous, so no regrets

What! Crap I might have to go to my Anthro right now. The Larkspur was down to $30 when last I was there and I was on fence about whether I’d really wear it… but $10!! That’s nuts. Ok, you talked me into it. So much for finishing this work project!

I was SO CLOSE to buying the bird perfume myself. At my Anthro it was clearanced back in the summer. Happ & Stahns Lily Sanguine, I believe. It smells great and… BIRD BOTTLE. Somehow I held off on buying.

I went on Tuesday and bought Ineke Sweet William. Sort of regretting not picking up the few Le Labos they had left. Oh well. I’ll live.

Whoops, failed to mention my replacement bottle of L’Artisan Figuier dry oil, full price, and the LAP Mure et Musc dry oil, bargain basement price (discontinuing perhaps?).
I sent a fair amount of the Figuier along to swappers as an extra during the recent swaps, as I want everyone to love it as much as I do!

Don’t think of it as a sin. I remember the nuns saying that the smoke from the incense helps carry your prayers to heaven. So think of your sillage as a scented prayer to Our Lady of Overindulgence.
Wow, the things you remember from catholic school…

LOL Poodle! I’m working on it. I was educated at a nun’s school, despite not being the most saint student.
I think I’ll use any incense perfume I’ve bought and so she’ll listen to my prayers and help me. Maybe I can use the strongest incensy one or all the incense frags I bought and so my body would be carried Straight to Heaven.
Hey Kilian Hennessy, you owe me some cash for the quote! You can pay me as perfumes. I don’t mind.

Hanging my head down in shame—but with a wicked, spoiled child grin.
This year has been crazy. I have shown no self-control at all.
This quarter I bought 19 FB and 1 mini. Combined with the other quarters that brings my yearly total to 60 FB! … I know!!
This year I bought a lot of vintage bottles: old friends from the past, bottles that I could not afford in my younger years, scents that I was always curious about, and scents that only internet shopping gives me access to.
Some of my highlights:
8 from L’Artisan Parfumeur (Fou D’Absinthe, Havana Vanille, Méchant Loup, Tea for two, Thé pour un été, Poivre Piquant, Bois Farine, and Traversée du Bosphore)
5 from Lutens (Chergui, Cèdre, Arabie, Féminité du Bois, and Louve)
I was able to find my old favorites Ho Hang Club and Héritage and I found a new best friend: Eau de Courrèges.
What will 2013 bring…

I get to vote Nary a One! That is rare indeed! I will boast a perfumed Christmas gift of Seville L’aube from my better half….it is sublime. And I ordered a 3ml spray of Nostolgie yesterday- but it was January, so it will factor in next time (if I can remember it)…Happy New Year all

Only one this quarter (can that be right?!): Une Rose Chypree, which I bought at Our Lady as soon as they started carrying Tauer scents–AND, since I had a birthday gift certificate, it was even at a reduced price. Woohoo!

Thank you, and I completely agree, Merlin! It is *SO* lovely, I find that I want it often. And it lasts so long and remains interesting far into the dry down, which I am beginning to feel is rare and wonderful when I encounter it.

I’ve checked back though my orders and I’m horrified to find I’ve spent about $150 (incl. shipping) on samples and decants in three months.

That has included tentative explorations of Francis Kurkdjian (nothing to fall in love with), Ramon Monegal (same) and Maria Candida Gentile (order has not arrived). However from STC I’ve had had great success with orange blossom/neroli explorations: 24 Faubourg, Orangers en Fleurs, Annick Goutal Neroli. My Bal a Versailles has yet to arrive.

My only FB was 15 mls of Rose 31 from le Labo.

All up over $200 for generally good return, and I’m always paying international shipping, but I definitely plan to cut back this quarter. I’m going back to my old system: I have a little tin by my bedside (from a used L’Occitane candle), and any spare $10s or $20s go into that. No cash, no ordering.

I’ve been pretty good this quarter: a bottle of Hove’s Carnaval, a bottle of Ineke’s Poet’s Jasmine (great after Christmas sale at Anthropologie, about 1/3 of the uusal cost). And assorted samples, of course

0!
Pregnant too!
Everything smells the same but it gets straight to the top-back of my nose… and it’s not comfy!
I’m using samples I got of L’eau d’Hiver and Dans tes bras (FM). Really love them but not sure if I’ll still love them in a couple of months so I try to wait, just a bit expensive if in 3 months I just don’t care anymore… I have Un jardin sur le Nil, still like it but my man HATES it, he thinks everything JCE does, smells like swamp (I,ll have that comment soon on L’Eau d’Hiver I guess, I try to ware it went he’s not around
Is there a post on fragrances for Temporary Sensitive Noses?

I thought so. At least they are good ones and worthy of the splurge. The Amber is a bit of a guilty pleasure, so sweet and sticky. I’m now debating a back up bottle of the Voixe Noire, terrified it will disappear.

I went a bit overboard and quit adding once I hit $1000.
Carner D600
Decennial collection – Lys de Desert
HdP Ambre 114
les Nereides Opoponax
Several Aftelier minis and a couple of body oils
Ineke’s Sweet William.
L’Artisan’s Premier Figuer in the LE bottle
4 15ml bottles of assorted AG scents
A few Caron’s – Belladogia, Nuit de Noel, and Narcisse Noir
Some vintage Emeraude and Theroema Esprit d’Ete
A couple things were swaps like Fendi Asja so they will count as free.
Confession is good for the soul.

Early in the quarter, I bought Cartier IV L’Heure Fougueuse thinking, oh, I’ll just buy this ONE expensive, wonderful thing this quarter. HAH!

Around Thanksgiving, I was browsing ebay, forgetting that sellers bring out their most tempting wares in anticipation of Christmas, and came across pristine vintage presentations of vintage Guerlain Guet-Apens and Vol de Nuit (propeller bottle). They were expensive but so fabulous, and, seeing how much prices have gone up over the last several years, I like to think of them as future bargains.

I also found a partial of a lost love: vintage AG Passion extrait in great condition in its original box – so wonderful! I’m very happy with these treasures!

Last quarter not bad about $50 spent for some vintage Replique minis,FB, and solid,also Bvlgari Aqva Marine fb,and a backup Chopard Madness . Possibly may have bought a travelsize set of BBW Cashmere Glow (can’t remember whether it was this Q or last) so maybe another $10…
However I am apparently making up for it ..three days into the new year and I’ve already(blind) bought a mini of Angel La Rose +samples of the other three,(blind)bought a vintage bottle of Basile,and based on y’alls comments about Anthro’s sale went over and nabbed a FB of Sweet William .
Naughty me.

Oy vey. I have been bad this quarter! I wouldn’t return anything if I could though! The only one I haven’t been able to use much is Les Nuits d’Hadrien but I imagine it will get plenty of use when it warms up. Hope everyone had a nice holiday!

hallo to everyone and happy new year…during the last four months I bought Quartier Latin by Memo and I adore wearing it..then L’0mbre fauve by Parfumerie generale and a bottle of DZING!!! by l’Artisan perfumeur…i wanted to have a bottle of Indochine by Parfumerie Generale..i adore that perfume but it seems to me it only lasts two minutes on my skin…anyway my favourite fragrance for 2012 has been theb same one of 2011….FAREB by Huitième Art..is there someone here who loves this perfume too?…

All my FBs were bought with gift vouchers received as presents but given that I could have spent them on something non-perfume related, I figure they should probably count. So the total is 3 1/2 – Seville a l’Aube, MFK Oud (partly because it amazes me that I like something oud and partly because I hope that by buying something called “oud” I will break the curse and perfume trends will move somewhere else) and VC&A Muguet Blanc (sorry, Robin). The 1/2 is a mini of Loretta but I wish I had gone for a FB. I just didn’t believe I could really like a tuberose. I don’t count decants because I can’t remember them all. So I think that makes my yearly total 6 1/2 (of which I only regret one but I was just so excited to be in the Scent Bar that I got carried away). Unfortunately I have also received gift vouchers for Christmas so 2013 won’t start well…

I bought, I think, about 5 bottles: Sensuous ( my first and probably last Lauder ever), Ange ou Demon ( sentimental purcahse I could have entirely skipped since I’d had it before and swapped it with no regrets….), L’eau de Chloe ( this is my 2012 best discovery and I’m glad I bought it, because it’s really really nice and I keep using it a lot) and Gucci by Gucci edp ( I like it but the 50 ml bottle will take a long time to finish. ). Also La Vie este Belle I do like it and wear it often but this one was ordered abroad and it did not get to me yet, it will probably arrive in February. Too many and a total waste of time and money. I guess I should be more selective…

I’m as usual outside Europe but I was in Madrid just before Christmas for work. I came back to Beirut with travel size Acqua di Parma Colonia and the Rituals Bergamot and Vetiver perfume. Sort of light scents for work, I’m getting very practical recently!
However, in Beirut I found a wonderful artisanal perfumer and got away with a 10ml minibottle of pure Neroli oil for a couple of dollars, and that ranked up to my best purchase of 2012! Just pure neroli delight, great longevity and very discreet projection. I’ll get back for more!

Our Lady! I lied to you! I put 2-4 bottles for the poll, which seemed really suspiciously low, and then realized I’d forgotten a PdN 30 ml, my CB IHP absolue, a body product (does that count for bottle count?) and a OJ Travel atomizer of Ta’if from Daisy’s split ($35?). Forgive me, Donatella. I didn’t spend the promised $750 customs allowance in NYC in October – and I bought tea, as you suggested, Robin – but I got very close.

I just got some Ito En Mhu Zha Oolong and re-stocked on my Mariage Freres Pleine Lune (which I’ve since found in Toronto). Since I loved that Lune Rouge you sent me, I wanted to try Aftelier Rose Ginger Oolong, but at that time MiNY (where I got the Lyric body butter) was not carrying the teas yet, only the Chef’s Essences.

And just browsing the comments of your Rose Ginger Oolong review, I saw a comment of yours that identified the tea starting with a “k” that I couldn’t remember the name of but that I loved so much from your package! It’s MF Karikal.

I really think it would be much harder to resist buying perfume in NYC than in Paris. A great portion of what is available in Paris seems to be easily available in NYC, but houses like CBIHP, Slumberhouse, Sonoma Scent S. and quite a few others – are American.

I fell off the wagon with 50 ml of Z-14 for $7.99, 50 ml Sublime Balkiss for about $100, and an unopened jar – in box – of Lucien LeLong Indiscret solid. The jar is about 4 inched tall and the desiccated solid itself, wrapped in foil, is about 2 inches long by 1/2 in diameter. I haven’t opened it, but couldn’t resist it at the antique store.
My quarter would have been much worse had the wonderful Noor in Toronto not been victim to the razing of the Four Seasons Hotel. They say they’ll re-open sometime in the spring but don’t know where…

Treated myself royally this past quarter – Coromandel, the 75ml. And mon número 8 from L’Artisan. Absolutely gorgeous, both of them. And both so different! For the first time in a long time, there is NOTHING I covet. I am replete. I have every scent I ever wanted or needed now! Oh, what am I saying?, apart from Sel Marin and Cardinal actually, I only have samples of those and would like full bottles……..aaaaarhh!

January 4th is my b-day, so of course, extra excuses to buy fume, lol.
Today I got a refill bottle of Daisy and Briar Rose, Ineke. Damage so far? I buy mostly samples..but a full bottle I got was Field Notes by Ineke.

Oooh I knew there was a reason why I unconsciously gave myself an avatar on this site yet use my real name on the other perfume blogs!! Oh my goodness!! It’s taken me a couple of days to muster the courage to confess (and to compile the list I might add), but here goes:

I could add it up but I just don’t want to know. (fingers in ears lalalala) There have been many enablers this past quarter, and the way I see it, is on a $ per ml basis, it is waaay more economic in the long term to buy fb’s, especially when they are on special! Well that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Now off to today’s post to say how I resolve not to do so much damage next quarter
AG Ninfeo Mio 100ml $69

Oh dear. Wait, there’s more. It’s not perfume as such, but in the spirit of a full confession, I must add that I bought the shower gel and body creams for both Amouage Lyric and Voyage d’Hermes, which I already have fb’s of (Voyage in edt AND parfum :-/)

I only bought three (3) bottles this quarter but one was a real splurge and my Christmas present to me (I do not get very much for Christmas, so I try to treat myself to a special fragrance every year).